1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of data processing systems and, more specifically to a data processing system, method, and computer program product including a display screen having an image alteration area for indicating magnification.
2. Description of Related Art
Several different techniques are known in the art for magnifying images displayed on a display screen. Many of these systems are used to magnify the display screen of a cellular telephone.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,333B1, issued to Shaffer, describes a magnification device that includes multiple different lenses that may be used to magnify a cellular telephone display. A lens that provides a predetermined degree of magnification is selected and coupled to the display such that the lens is located over and magnifies the display. This lens also provides a predetermined degree of magnification that can not be altered.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,459, issued to Lincoln, describes a lens that can be mounted on a cellular telephone display that will magnify the display. This lens provides a predetermined degree of magnification that can not be altered.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,278, issued to Tortola, describes a magnifier apparatus that includes a magnifier portion that comprises a frame and a magnifying lens secured within the frame. The lens is adapted to conform with the computer video screen.
All of these approaches involve the use of lenses that are applied over the display to magnify an image. Although the lens described by these systems may be practical for very small screens such as those used in cellular telephones, these lens are not practical for large displays such as the kind used for desktop, personal, or other large computer systems. As a result, other techniques for panning and zooming are used in larger displays.
For computer systems including desktop computer systems, personal computers, network computers, personal digital assistants, and other types of computing devices, panning and zooming have been available to a user through the use of particular keystrokes or task bar selections. All of these approaches, however, require a user to select image alteration functions, such as panning or zooming, through the display area itself. For example, a particular zoom icon may be selected using a mouse. This icon, though, is displayed to a user within the display area.
A computer display screen includes a display area. This area is used to display images, text, and information to a user. The display area is the only area on a computer display screen that is used to display these images, text, and information. When a window is maximized, for example, it will occupy the entire display area of the display screen.
The approaches described above for panning and zooming within a computer system are executed within the computer system by a software application or driver. Executing these software applications or drivers can reduce the efficiency of the computer systems.
A “personal digital assistant” (hereinafter “PDA”) is defined as a hand held microcomputer designed for individual use and includes at least a local central processing unit (CPU), a touch screen (or other equivalent user interface such as a keypad, a screen with mouse, voice recognition system, or pen-based input, etc.), memory for storing information, and input/output capability for reading and writing information. A PDA typically includes a small display screen that may be difficult to see. Although the panning and zooming techniques that have been used in desktop computer systems could be used in smaller systems, such as PDAs, these techniques require processor time and resources because they are implemented in software that must be executed by the smaller system. Previous techniques also consume valuable screen real estate.
Therefore, a need exists for a,method, system, and computer program product that (i) includes an image alteration area that is separate from a display area of a display screen, (ii) does not consume a large amount of screen real estate, (iii) is easy to use, and (iv) is capable of being implemented in hardware within the system.